The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-08-04
GEORGE WILLIAM CURrIs.
he ADDRESSES THE CIVIL SER.
VICE REFORM LEAGUE.
President Cleveland Identified with
the Cause OF Reform In the
National Service.
WHEAT DEPENDS UPON HIS RE.
NOMINATION.
To this Administration Is Due the
Desirable Change Ia the Ex-
ecutive Offices.

NEWPORT, r. l., August S-The
session Of the National OWL Service
Reform League wa, opened with a
public meeting at IL o'clock this
morning. George William Curtis de-
livered his annual address, as follows:
In referring to the public interest In
the cause Of civil service reform,
HK SAD:
The movement OF public sentiment
may DO measured In many ways, es-
pecially In the discussions OF the press
and in public speeches. Until ths
pension vetoes and the recent orders
In regard 10 the return OF rebel flags,
partisan hoetility to the present ad.
ministrstion expressed itself chiefly in
ceneure OF its failure TO conform to an
absolute eiandaid OF reform--a con-
formiiy, however, which the censur.
Inc party does not affect 10 maintain
wherever IL has control. This cenBure
and the continuous discussion imply,
and imply justiy, ageneral and pro-
found interest in the bu' ject. The
division In the administration party,
which In obvious and uudenlable,
springs from the rame QUESTION, aod
Ia another striking illustration OF its
strong hold upon the public mind.
Moreover, the possible
tUuCKB OF THE DIM oCRATIc PARTY
in the election OF next year undoubt.
eddy depends upon iis denomination
oil the President, who 10 ident fed In
the public mind with the cause OF
reform; and II Is equally beyond
question that II the President should
formally renouncs the reform prlnci.
ples that he has declared and which he
honestly cherishes, and should frankly
announce that the general political
reconstruction OF the civil service
which j regret TO ray has taken place
under his administration, 10 due 10 q
change Of con viction upon his par. la
favor OF the spoils syslem, no would
be abandoned by 30 large body OF
ci,iIsns as to bring his reelection into
serious peril"
Mr.. Curtis then reviewed at great
length
THR PRooRDes or REF0Rn.
in the national service. He SAID:
Two years ago, five months after the
Inauguration OF President Cleveland,
l reminded you that In considering
the condition and prospects OF reform,
We viewed the question not a. sup.
porters or opponents OF his admins
tratlon, or Of any administration, but
solely as friends OF civil service re-
form. said also that reform had
never been the distinctive policy OF
eithe' Of the great national parties.
Now that two years have passed aud
more than hail thu term OF the ad.
ministratlon has sspir d, Il 10 In tho
same spirit and with the same conyic.
ton that We are TO look at the situa-
ton. tis now possible, l think, 10
judge correctly the course OF the I'D
minisiration In regard 10 reform. aud
i regret TO say that during the two
years and five months OF It's exlstencs.
while the reform Jaw has been re-
spected Within It's limited range, aud
while there ate unqueetionsble and
encouraging signs Of progress, YET &C.
cording 10 information which Ia un.
doubted y authentic, there has been
WAY ei0SIrioAsT cHAEaR
In the civils Ivlce. In some of tho do
partments NJ Washington this Ia lees
apparent than al others. But In sur.
vey Of the whole service, there has
been almost ~ complete a change "a
Wa practicable, since an entirely nsw
force OF totally inexperienced olllc.rs
would have prevented the regular
trA1faciion Of the public business"
tn SPEAKER then gave many figures
10 ilunrale the scope ard Significance
OF the ohat g,s. He taid that II In tho
Postotiice Department the same rae
Of chance continued during the next
two years as duing the past two. the
entire boo OF postmaeters, with very
lev exceptions, would be politically
changed, aud with the postnAte all
the emol yes dependent on them
"Substantial v the whole Of this vast
and universally Infused service, vhose
smaller Offices are the Local head.
quarters Of tle administration party
aud are oiien given the local editors
whose newspapers, thus subsidized by
the government, would have under.
Enue = comPle!e partisan recoustruc
tim"
Practically, I repeat, there has been
o very
0ESEaAL PARTISAN RECONSTRUCTION
Of the national civil service. Hat
whilo such change was the m.
doubted desire aud expectation OF q
large and Important part OF the sup
Dor ere IT the President at the pc Ia, I
do not bslieye thst II was desired or
anticipated by the intelligent sentl.
a
ent pres ure OF this demand had been
resisted firmly, aud " no change had
bsen tolerated beyond that equitable
division b-tween parties, winch nj.
though wholly indelenslble upon
round principles Of reform, might rot
have been accepted m permissible
compromise uudcf very diilieilt or.
Gums ancea, the reform System would
have been ~ strongly inlr nched In
public approval that at the end Of q
Hecord term Of the administration
which had ~ all lahed II 10 succeeding
party ur President would probably
have ventufed 81 disturb N. Hut
vhile We may believe, as oeriainly
believe, that the
rRsstpkST ~ An UPRIGHT MAottrRATE
NANf Iuahti hpNh AhH Naft NuA N1lh
plicatei rsnge OF his duties, NJ tbs
Cliei Executive Of great nation, has
been unable 10 accomplish IN this
dsparm M Of his duty all that hS
would have dons--whllc We may
Wilungly sfquit him Of iusincerity OF
ind.htTeroe, We mustyet be n iuAt "a
ourselves astl him. II would be .
greAi wfong 10 the Gauss OF which The
Iaigur IL the authorized national rep
rceeuia'iveif II did not pldnly aud EN-
nhstically declare that u does no
foglId the administration, however
worthy OF reepect aud confidence, 70
uany Teasnns rs In Any tifict senas o
the word, n civil service reform admin
ialfat.on.
Mr.. Onfiis then criticized the ao.loi
az The President In the
nESroS AND sr0EE CASH.
la regard 10 the "ciiculAr" Of thi
Posident on the subject Of interior